The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a system and method of graphically displaying relative information by an EPL.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
EPLs typically include liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for displaying information. A typical EPL may include an LCD capable of displaying a minimum of eight characters of alphanumeric text information. Each character includes a number of segments which are turned on or off to generate a character. EPLs may also include icons for displaying limited amounts of graphical information about a product.
In order to obtain a competitive advantage, retailers must effectively market their products and have access to information about their products. For example, inventory and sales figures are important in running a retail business. The type and frequency of information may vary based upon job description. A stock person typically needs "daily quantities sold" information. A person placing orders needs another type of information, "what is in stock" and "what is on order" information. A manager needs another type of information, "how does this item rank against others" information.
Access to employee-directed competitive information is typically available only through a centralized in-store computer. Thus, to determine business information about items, employees get the information directly from the computer or from reports generated by the computer.
Therefore, it would be desirable to display competitive, promotional, and other relative information anywhere in a transaction establishment through an electronic price label system.